Lantern.



1mm. 668,096. Patented Feb. I2, l90l. J. R. GILBERT.

LANTERN.

(Application filed July 21, 1900.\ (We Wloflal.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Mn. mamas. Patented m. l2, |9u| .1. a. GILBERT.

LANTERN (Application flied July 21, 1900;] (M1) Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheat 2.

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starts Parent tribal JAMES R. GILBERT, OF KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA.

LANTERN.

SPEUIFIOATIUM forming part of Letters Paten No. 668,096, dated February 12, 1901. Application filed July 21, 1900. Serial No. 241422. (No modeh) To (ZZZ ZIJ/LO'IIZ/ it Duty concern;

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. GILBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kissimmee, in the county of Osceola and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Lantern, of which the following is a specification.

My. invention is an improved lantern, particularly designed for use as a signal-lantern for railways, adapted to emit differently-colored lights as may be desired and in which the color of the light may be instantly changed at will.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a lantern embodying Iny improvements, the lamp being shown as lowered to emit a white light. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the same showing the lamp raised to adapt the lantern to emit a colored light. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the lamp holder and hood. Fig. 4c is a similar view of the lamp, showing the same detached from the lamp-holder.

The guard-frame l of the lantern is of the usual construction and may be of any preferred construction. The same supports the tubular base-section 2 and is provided at its upper end with the cover 3, which is hinged thereon at one side in the usual manner and is provided with a suitable catch, as at 4, to secure the same on the guard-frame when closed thereon, and the said cover is formed with a central vertically-extending dome 5. A verticallynnovable cap 6 is disposed within the dome, adapted to move vertically therein, and is supported by pins or studs 7 8, which project inwardly from the sides of the dome and operate in vertical slots 9, with which the catch is provided. A coiled spring 10 in the upper portion of the dome bears on the upper portion of the cap, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower portion of the cap is flared outwardly to form a flange 11, which bears on the upper edge of the globe or chimney 12, which is of glass and of the usual form and may be made of any preferred form. The said globe or chimney is supported by the flared upper edge l3 of the base-section 2.

The function of the spring 10, as will be understood, is to press the cap 6 downward on the upper edge of the globe or chimney to firmly secure the same in place between the base-section 2 and the cap (5. The bottom 1% of the tubular base-section 2 is removable therefrom and is provided with a flange 15, which is adapted to encircle and fit on the lower side of said base-section. Said flange is provided on opposite sides with the usual vertically-disposed lateral offsets 16, forming ways to clear the securing-studs 17, that project from the sides of the base selction, and provided with openings 18 to receive said studs, and thereby secure the bottom to the base-section. The usual spring-detent 19 on the said flange 15 is adapted to engage one of said studs 18, and thereby lock the bottom to the base-section and adapt the same to be readily removed therefrom when desired. The usual bail 20 is attached at its ends to cars 21, with which the guard-frame is provided.

The globe or chimney 12 is transparent and made of glass, and the same for railroad purposes has its lower portion clear and its upper portion colored, usually either red or green. The lower clear portion is in the drawings designated by the reference-numeral 22, and the upper colored portion is designated by the reference-numeral 23.

Centrally disposed within the lantern is a vertically-movable lamp-holder 24:, the same in the embodiment herein shown being of cylindrical tubular form and having the inwardly-projecting annular flange 25 at its lower end. Vertically-disposed supportingstrips 26 have their lower portions secured within the lamp-holder, and the upper portions thereof project above the lamp-holder and support a hood 27, the upper end of which is open, as shown. A vertically-movable rod 28 operates in an opening 29 in the top of the dome, at the center thereof, and to the lower end of the said rod is attached a hanger 30, which is secured to the hood and supports the latter, together with the lampholder. A ring 31 is attached to the upper end of the rod 28 by a head 32, forininga nut which is screwed to the upper end of said rod. It will be understood from the foregoing and by reference to the drawings that the lamp -the catches to be drawn inward toward each i 7 other to disengage the same from the flange 25, and thereby release the lamp from the lamp-holder.

When the lamp is lowered by lowering the lamp-holder and hood, the latter cuts off the rays of light from the upper colored portion of the globe or chimney, and hence a clear light is emitted from the lantern. 'When the lamp is raised by raising the lamp-holder and hood, the rays of light pass through the colored upper portion of the chimney or globe, the lamp-holder serving to cut off the rays of light from the lower clear portion of the globe or chimney, and hence the lantern emits a colored light, as will be understood. The ring 31 not only serves as means for raising the lamp within the lantern, but also serves as means for holding or suspending the lantern. When the lantern is not suspended or held by the said ring 31, the lamp and lampholder will by gravity drop to their lowermost position and a clear light will be emitted from the lantern.

It will be understood that the lower portion of the chimney or globe may, instead of being clear, as hereinbefore described, be of any Said spring-catches are provided eespo color desired, differing from the color of the upper portion of the chimney or globe, and I do not limit myself in this particular.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A lantern having a globe or chimney with the upper and lower portions thereof diiferently colored, in combination with a vertically-movable lamp-holder within said globe or chimney, a hood movable vertically with said lamp-holder, and a lamp carried by the lamp-holder, the latter serving to out off the rays of light from the lower portion of the globe or chimney when the lamp is raised and the hood serving to cut oi the rays of light from the upper portion of the globe or chimney when the lamp is lowered, substantially as described.

2. In a lantern, the combination with a globe or chimney having its upper and lower portions differently colored, a vertically-movable lamp-holder therein, a hood connected to and disposed above said lamp-holder, a rod from which said hood and lamp-holder are suspended, said rod extending through the upper portion of the lantern and having a ring at its upper end, for the purpose set forth, and a lamp adapted to be placed in the lampholder through the bottom thereof and having supporting-catches to engage said lampholder, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- JAMES R. GILBERT. Witnesses:

J. N. TAYLOR, JASPER WILSON. 

